Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/344

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
325

834

Huan Ch'i . One of the generals of the First Emperor. See lA Mu.

835 Huan Ching . A worthy of old, who studied as a pupil under Fei Ch'ang-fang. One day the latter said to him, *'0n the' 9th day of the 9th moon a calamity will come upon Ju-nan. Yon most make a bag and fill it with a certain plant (Evodia rutcscarpa^ Bth.); then you must tie the bag on to yonr arm, and go with your fiimily up to the top of a mountain and drink chrysanthemum wine. By such means the danger can be escaped.*' Huan Ching did as he was bid; and on returning home at nightfEill, he found all the dogs and poultry of his household dead. **These, you see," said Fei Ch'ang-fang, "have served as your substitutes." From this legend came the modern custom of annual mountain-picnics on the 9th day of the 9th moon.

836 Huan Ch'ung (T. ). Died A.D. 885. Tounger brother of Huan WSn, whom he accompanied in his campaigns, earning for himself the sobriquet of ^ ^ ^ ^ and being ennobled as Duke. Upon the death of his brother in 373, the Emperor Hsiao Wu appointed him to high office; but he found all power in the hands of Hsieh An, and applied for a provincial post. Later on he failed to oppose the advance of Fu Chien (2); and even when the latter was finally overcome, he felt his failure 80 keenly that he positively died of shame. He was the best seholar of the family, and a man of simple tastes. He absolutely declined to wear new clothes i until his wife pointed out to him that all old clothes must once have been new.

837 Huan Hsüan (T. ). A.D. 369-404. Son of Huan W^n, by a concubine. His mother sat one night watching the shooting stars, when suddenly a star seemed to fall into a backet of water and lay there like a shining pearl. With a ladle

she scooped it out, and swallowed it at a gulp. In due course she